A5073055328- Tardigrade Biology and Ecology
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Masonry and Concrete Structural Analysis
- Structural Engineering and Vibration Analysis
- Civil and Structural Engineering Research
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Structural Health Monitoring Techniques
- Concrete Corrosion and Durability
- Building materials and conservation
- Hemoglobin structure and function
- Structural Load-Bearing Analysis
- Structural Analysis and Optimization
- Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete
- Structural Analysis of Composite Materials
- Infrastructure Maintenance and Monitoring
- 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage
- Architecture and Art History Studies
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Seed Germination and Physiology
- Microencapsulation and Drying Processes
- Railway Engineering and Dynamics
- Protein Hydrolysis and Bioactive Peptides
- Fungal and yeast genetics research
- Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
University of Wyoming
2019-2025
Pennsylvania State University
2010-2024
Wyoming Department of Education
2020-2024
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2015-2019
University of North Carolina Health Care
2016-2017
University of Maryland, College Park
2011-2015
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
1992-2007
New Orleans Public Library
2006
American Society of Civil Engineers
1999-2001
Significance Despite fascinating scientists for over 200 years, little at the molecular level is known about tardigrades, microscopic animals resistant to extreme stresses. We present genome of a tardigrade. Approximately one-sixth genes in tardigrade were found have been acquired through horizontal transfer, proportion nearly double previous cases gene transfer (HGT) animals. Foreign impacted composition genome: supplementing, expanding, and replacing endogenous families, including those...
Small RNA pathways act at the front line of defence against transposable elements across Eukaryota. In animals, Piwi interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) are a crucial arm this defence. However, evolutionary relationships among piRNAs and other targeting poorly resolved. To address question we sequenced from multiple, diverse nematode species, producing first phylum-wide analysis how evolve. Surprisingly, despite their prominence in Caenorhabditis elegans closely related nematodes, absent all...
Abstract Tardigrades are microscopic animals renowned for their ability to survive extreme desiccation. Unlike many desiccation-tolerant organisms that accumulate high levels of the disaccharide trehalose protect themselves during drying, tardigrades little or undetectable levels. Using comparative metabolomics, we find despite being enriched at low levels, is a key biomarker distinguishing hydration states tardigrades. In vitro, naturally occurring stoichiometries and CAHS proteins,...
Water is essential for metabolism and all life processes. Despite this, many organisms distributed across the kingdoms of survive near-complete desiccation or anhydrobiosis. Increased intracellular viscosity, leading to formation a vitrified state necessary, but not sufficient, survival while dry. What properties system make it desiccation-tolerant -sensitive are unknown. We have analyzed 18 different in vitro systems, composed one three protective disaccharides (trehalose, sucrose, maltose)...
Tardigrades are microscopic animals that survive desiccation by inducing biostasis. To drying tardigrades rely on intrinsically disordered CAHS proteins, which also function to prevent perturbations induced in vitro and heterologous systems. proteins have been shown form gels both vivo, has speculated be linked their protective capacity. However, the sequence features mechanisms underlying gel formation necessity of gelation for protection not demonstrated. Here we report a mechanism...
Abstract Organisms from all kingdoms of life depend on Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins to survive desiccation. LEA are divided into broad families distinguished by the presence family‐specific motif sequences. The LEA_4 family, characterized 11‐residue motifs, plays a crucial role in desiccation tolerance numerous species. However, these motifs function is unclear, with some studies finding that they recapitulate full‐length vivo, and other opposite result. In this study, we...
Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful approach for studying subcellular dynamics at high spatiotemporal resolution; however, conventional fluorescence techniques are light-intensive and introduce unnecessary photodamage. Light-sheet (LSFM) mitigates these problems by selectively illuminating the focal plane of detection objective using orthogonal excitation. Orthogonal excitation requires geometries that physically limit numerical aperture (NA), thereby limiting both light-gathering...
Abstract Protein‐based biological drugs and many industrial enzymes are unstable, making them prohibitively expensive. Some can be stabilized by formulation with excipients, but most still require low temperature storage. In search of new, more robust we turned to the tardigrade, a microscopic animal that synthesizes cytosolic abundant heat soluble (CAHS) proteins protect its cellular components during desiccation. We find CAHS test lactate dehydrogenase lipoprotein lipase against...
Abstract Water unavailability is an abiotic stress causing unfavourable conditions for life. Nevertheless, some animals evolved anhydrobiosis, a strategy allowing the reversible organism dehydration and suspension of metabolism as direct response to habitat desiccation. Anhydrobiotic undergo biochemical changes synthesizing bioprotectants help combat desiccation stresses. One generation reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, eutardigrade Paramacrobiotus spatialis was used investigate...
Abstract Biologics, pharmaceuticals containing or derived from living organisms, such as vaccines, antibodies, stem cells, blood, and blood products are a cornerstone of modern medicine. However, nearly all biologics have major deficiency: they inherently unstable, requiring storage under constant cold conditions. The so-called ‘cold-chain’, while effective, represents serious economic logistical hurdle for deploying in remote, underdeveloped, austere settings where access to cold-chain...
Abstract A growing interest in the preservation of historic structures has created a need for methods analysis load‐bearing unreinforced masonry structures, such as arches, vaults, and buttresses. Although plasticity methods, first applied to medieval detail by Heyman, provide useful intuitive approach understanding behaviour arches their usefulness performing actual assessments limitations. The constitutive laws materials used are not always amenable accurate treatment rigid–plastic...
Abstract Tardigrades are a group of microscopic animals renowned for their ability to survive near complete desiccation. A family proteins, unique tardigrades, called Cytoplasmic Abundant Heat Soluble (CAHS) proteins necessary mediate robust desiccation tolerance in these animals. However, the mechanism(s) by which CAHS help protect tardigrades during water-loss have not been fully elucidated. Here we use thermogravimetric analysis empirically test proposed hypothesis that tardigrade due...
In their recent manuscript, Protective roles of highly conserved motif 1 in tardigrade cytosolic-abundant heat soluble protein extreme environments, Kang et al. (2024) investigate the putative role a cytoplasmic-abundant heat-soluble (CAHS) protein, PrCAHS 1, desiccation protection. To do so, test ability different regions to confer protection desiccation-sensitive enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). doing this, they compare how mixtures with mass ratios LDH and retain activity after drying...
Abstract Tardigrades, also known as water bears, make up a phylum of small but extremely hardy animals, renowned for their ability to survive extreme stresses, including desiccation. How tardigrades desiccation is one the enduring mysteries animal physiology. Here we show that CAHS D, an intrinsically disordered protein belonging unique family proteins possessed only by tardigrades, undergoes liquid-to-gel phase transition in concentration dependent manner. Unlike other gelling proteins,...